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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

CAPRICE GOLD
PALACE HOTEL ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The First Recipient in The World to Receive The Highest Award of IQS-7
Crescent Standard of ISLAMIC QUALITY STANDARD (IQS),

DR. MAHATHIR Mohamad listened to the explanation from the Chairman
of Caprice Group Turkey, Mr. Fadil Akgunduz about the picture of Caprice Gold Palace Hotel Istanbul which was
awarded IQS -7 Crescent Standard of Islamic Quality Standard from UCSC - Universal Crescent Standard, together with
Chairman of UCSC, Dato Prof Dr. Ismail Ibrahim at
the International Islamic Tourism Standards Conference at PWTC Kuala Lumpur on
6 December 2012

CAPRICE GOLD ISTANBUL is the first
hotel in the world to receive IQS 7-Standard award. of Islamic Quality Standard (IQS). Not only the hotel is luxury with excellence in quality and standard, but it is also in
conformation with Islamic Principles as specified by USCS in the Islamic
Quality Standard (IQS).

A Complete building of Jaemek Mosque with two minarets is also built as part of the Hotel project, in addition to another Jaemak Mosque in the Hotel Building itself.

CAPRICE GOLD ISTANBUL
PROJECT, which will be the Caprice Group second hotel with 1300 room’s with “7-Stars”
equivalent luxury will cost about USD 330 million to construct [not including
the land cost of 22,000 square meters [4.5 acres]. This Hotel will bethe biggest city hotel in Europe which will
start to operate by middle of2014.

There are 26 floors in total with 8 floors underground, including
three A la Carte and two buffet restaurants with five Spa Centers thatwillserve with thirty five swimming
pools.As mentioned before,Caprice Gold Project was awarded for
IQS 7-Standard award which is the top level award, for its design.

CAPRICE GOLD is located right in the heart of İstanbul with important commercial buildings and residential areas like: “Mega Centre” and “Istanbul European Side
Dried Food Wholesale Market, Forum Istanbul;
the biggest shopping complex in Turkey

(160.000sqm GLA); IKEA Bayrampasa, and PraktikerBayrampasa the biggest shopping mall
in Turkey; Yorum Istanbul which is a luxury condominium or apartments
residential complex and office blocks. The renovation of the existing metro
station has been completed which is 100 m from this station.

The IQS-Islamic Quality Standard for Hotel was the research work of Prof. Shaya'a Othman and Assoc. Prof. Dr Nor'ain Othman. The research was jointly being supported by Universiti Teknoloji Mara [UiTM] and Universal Crescent Standard Center [UCSC]. This IQS was later adopted by UCSC as a mechanism to measure the standard of Hotel, which is operating in accordance the Islamic Principles, all over the world.

According to Prof. Shaya'a, in the introduction of the book, that the
formulation of this IQS-Islamic Quality Standard For Hotel, while taking the
quality of physical facilities provided by the hotel, and the quality of itsservices to the customers, it is also taking into consideration how the hotel
conformed to the Islamic principles such as alcoholic beverage is not available
or served in the hotel premises, and all foods served are “halal”.

These basic
requirements under Islamic principles are the perquisites for a hotel to be
considered under IQS-Islamic Quality Standard. Other factors such as separate
summing pools or spa for male and female, Muslims prayer facilities such as
prayer rooms, and mosque are important measurements for IQS- Islamic Quality
Standard.

It
is hope that IQS-Islamic Quality Standard For Hotel, will become useful guide
line for those who wish to become a “Muslim friendly” hotel, and be considered
under various classifications from IQS-1 to the very top of IQS-7 under this IQS-Islamic
Quality Standard classification.

The Hon Datuk Seri Jamil Khair showing to the Audiences the Book, IQS-Islamic Quality Standard for Hotel,. during the launching of the book,. Also present during the event was Dato' Prof. Dr. Ismail Ibrahim,Chairman of UCSC.

Dato Prof. Dr. Ismail Ibrahim, Chairman of UCSC, in his opening remark at the ceremony stressed the important point that the
work of Professor Shaya’a Othman and Associate Professor Dr. Nor’ain Othman in
formulating IQS-Islamic Quality Standards for Hotel Industry creates the
interest of UCSC, to publish it as well as to adopt it, as a guideline of
measuring and classifying levels of quality for hotels, not only in Malaysia
but also all over the world.

Mr . Fadil AKGUNDUZ, The Group Chairman of Caprice Group receiving
the Award of IQS - 7 Crescent , the highest award under the
Islamic Quality Standard for Hotel. CAPRICE GOLD PALACE ISTANBUL
is the first hotel in the world to receive such an award.
The award was presented by H.E. Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

Prof Dr. Ismail further mentioned that during The1st International Islamic Tourism Standard Conference (IITSC) which was held at
the World Trade Center Kuala Lumpur on 5- December 2012, UCSC adopted the IQS to award hotels who are operating in accordance to Islamic Principles. This conference was jointly organized
by Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA(UiTM), and Universal Crescent Standard Center [UCSC] supported by Islamic
Tourism Center, Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Convention
and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB]

UCSC awarded CAPRICE GOLD PALACE OF ISTANBUL the highest award of IQS 7 Crescent Standard, the first in the world to receive this award. Also under the same Caprice Group, the CAPRICE THERMAL PALACE, resort hotel at Didim, Turkey, received IQS 5 Crescent. also the first Resort Hotel in the world to receive such award. The Grand Blue wave Hotel, Shah Alam, Malaysia was awarded the IQS 3 Crescent, and De Palma Ampang, received the IQS 2 Crescent.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Nor'ain Othman is seen here receiving a Certificate of Appreciationfrom Hon. Minister on the excellent work of formulating Islamic Quality Standard for Hotel. Similar Certificate of Appreciation was also given to Prof. Shaya'a Othman in his absence [He was away in Istanbul attending other meeting].

The idea of creating Islamic Quality System started in November 2, 2000, when the Chairman of Institute of Islamic Understanding [IKIM] Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Abduk Hamid said in his speech at the opening of an expert consultation to formulate a quality standard based on the Islamic perspective, at IKIM that “It is hope that a set of Islamic quality standard, which are accepted and later to be adopted by Islamic nations, can be formulated”. After 8 years in 2008, I started my research to formalize this idea, when I was working as a lecturer and Director of Centre of Excellency in Selangor International Islamic University College [KUIS], Malaysia. My interest in this research carried on when I took a new responsibility as Academic Fellow and Executive Director of Centre of Excellency, at Insaniah College University [INSANIAH], Kedah Malaysia, beginning 2010.

Not realizing it, such practices being carried out or put to practices far back in 1996 by Mr. Fadil Akgunduz, the founder and owner of a hotel known today as Caprice Thermal Caprice, at Didim in Turkey. Ironically I was working too, with the group as Chief Executive Office, Asia, since 1995. Briefly, since its operation in 1996 till to date, no-alcohol is served, and all foods are “halal”. The facilities provided are “Muslims-friendly” such as separate swing pools and spa for male and female, a mosque with full time Imam to manage and lead the congregation daily and Friday prayers.

We did research how the west doing their rating for their hotel industry, in Europe, in Australia as well as in United State of America, which are well established and known as “star-rating” in Europe and Australia, and “diamond rating” in United States of America. This “star-rating” was well known worldwide even in Muslim countries.

The ratings or quality standards do not taken into consideration the sensitivities of Muslim community, in other word, the rating systems or quality standards are not “Muslims friendly”. For examples the availability of alcoholic beverages is part of measuring the quality which is not acceptable to Islam. Thus the "star -rating" and " diamond-rating " are not acceptable by Muslim.

The formulation of this IQS-Islamic Quality Standard For Hotel, while taking the quality of physical facilities provided by the hotel, and the quality of its services to the customers, it is also taking into consideration how the hotel conformed to the Islamic principles such as alcoholic beverage is not available or served in the hotel premises, and all foods served are “halal”. These basic requirements under Islamic principles are the perquisites for a hotel to be considered under IQS-Islamic Quality Standard. Other factors such as separate summing pools or spa for male and female, Muslims prayer facilities such as prayer rooms, and mosque are important measurements for IQS- Islamic Quality Standard.

It is hope that IQS-Islamic Quality Standard For Hotel, will become useful guide line for those who wish to become a “Muslim friendly” hotel, and be considered under various classifications from IQS-1 to the very top of IQS-7 under this IQS-Islamic Quality Standard classification.

I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the co-writer Associate Professor Nor’ain Othman, Deputy Dean [Research & Industry Linkages], Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknoloji Mara, Malaysia [UiTM] for making this work possible. My appreciation too, to the technical research team, all from the same Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknoloji Mara [UiTM], namely Dr Rozian Mohd Taha, Dr Nor Zuwana Sumarjan, and Dr Salamiah A. Jamal in helping to conduct the research, and making the formulation of this IQS-Islamic Quality Standard. A special thanks to Universal Crescent Standard Center [UCSC] for adopting and propagating this IQS-Islamic Quality Standard as their guidelines in awarding special award to various hotels according to the standard measurement and levels of classification as spell out in this IQS- Islamic Standard Quality for Hotel.

It is hope that this IQS- Islamic Quality Standard will become as an alternative evaluation systems to that of “star-ranking” systems which are being used in classifying various class of hotel today. It will become useful guide to Muslim tourists in searching suitable accommodations which are ‘Muslims friendly, according to the levels of quality which are acceptable.

The development of IQS-Islamic Quality Standard should not stop at the hotel Industry only. It should be further developed to include other areas for examples in Islamic Tourism Industry, Islamic Banking and Finance, Islamic Insurances, and Islamic Educational Institutions. I believe UCSC can play an important part to spear ahead this development with the collaboration from universities and relevant government agencies.

One
of the objectives of Universal Crescent Standard Centre in short UCSC is to
create standards which are in conforming with Islamic principles, in various
fields, which include but not limited to Islamic Tourism Industry, Islamic
Banking and Finance and Islamic Insurance. This move is based on private
initiative with the hope to get various supports from universities and
government agencies.

IQS-ISLAMIC QUALITY STANDARD FOR HOTEL is being adopted by UCSC as a measuring mechanism to measure the quality of hotels which are in compliance with Islamic Principles. The Awards are from IQS-1 Crescent [the Lowest] to IQS -7 Crescent [The highest]

The
work of Professor Shaya’a Othman and Associate Professor Dr. Nor’ain Othman in
formulating IQS-Islamic Quality Standards for Hotel Industry creates the
interest of UCSC, to publish it as well as to adopt it, as a guideline of
measuring and classifying levels of quality for hotels, not only in Malaysia
but also all over the world.

The idea of IQS was also being discussed with H.E.Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad [Former Prime Minister of Malaysia] and also Mr Fadil Akgunduz, the first operator of Islamic Hotel in the world.From right: Asso. Prof. Dr. Nor'ain, Dato' Prof. Dr. Ismail, Prof. Shaya'a, Mr. Fadil and H.E. Tun Mahathir.

The
significant increase in Muslim Tourists arrivals in the world has put a great
demand for accommodations which are “Muslim friendly”. If we exclude Muslims
pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, Malaysia is the top preference for Muslims
tourist followed by Turkey. The easy availability of Halal foods in both
countries, make these countries as the preferred destinations of Muslim
tourist. It was reported in daily Milliyet
of Turkey that the needs for such “Muslim friendly” accommodations in Turkey
increased to about 200% just over the past 5 years.

It
is timely that a standard of classifying accommodations which are in
conformation to Islamic principles should be introduced in the markets. The
formulation of IQS-Islamic Quality Standard For Hotel and the publication of
this book is a step forward of introducing such Islamic standard in Tourism
Industry or Islamic Tourism. It will become an alternative to the present
classifications or levels of standards which are widely being practiced by the
west known as “star-rating’. We plan to develop more IQS –Islamic Quality
Standards, not only in Tourism industry but also in other industries.